Car-coupling



(No Model.) P. W. PARSONS,

GAR OOUPLING.

No. 433,695. y Patented Aug. 5, 1890.

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,ummm Y UNITED STATES PATENT Grenen.

FRANCIS W. PARSONS, OF NVIANNO, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,695, dated August 5, 1890.

Application filed August 2, 1889.

Serial No. 319,527. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS W. PARSONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vianno, in the county of Barnstable, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in car-couplings; and it has for its object to provide an improved device of this character, wherein the pivot of the coupling is relieved of strain,the hook being so formed and arranged in relation to its co-operating parts that Linder abnormal conditions there is a rin bearing independent of its pivot. 'It has also, among other objects, to provide an automatic lock for the coupling-hook and to provide for the coupling and uncoupling upon sharp curves. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which- Figurel is a top plan with parts broken away, illustrating my improved coupler. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the coupler with the coupling-hook removed, and Fig. 4c is a side elevation of the jaw removed.

Referring to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a suitable draw-head, to which is attached the coupler B by means of the pin B, on which the coupler is free to turn to a limited extent, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, the coupling being formed with the upper and lower rear extensions B2, which embrace the upper and lower face of the draw-head, the rear face of the coupler being concaved, asl shown at B3, the forward end of the draw-head being rounded, as shown at A', to lit the concavity of the coupler, as shown best in Fig. l, the rear end of the coupler being cut away, as shown at B4, to lessen the contact-surface in the coupler and the draw-head and allow the parts to move more freely. This forms asort of balland-socket joint with a limited movement,

and is deemed especially important, as it allows movement of the couplers at their j unction with the draw-heads, which prevents binding of the couplers in going around sharp curves, the couplers turning on their pivot B, which leaves the couplers in their normal position as upon astraight track.

The mouth of the coupler is formed with the jaw B5 and the lugs or ears B6 and B7, perforated, as shown, to receive the pivot-pin C of the coupling-hook C. This coupling-hook is formed with a vertical extension C2, having concavedinner face, which conforms and fits against the outer face of the ears B6 and B7, so that in use the strain cornes upon the said extension, and the ears and the pivot are thus relieved of strain. The ear B6 is formed with a shoulder B6X upon its under side, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, and the ear B7 upon its upper face is formed with the depressions B and B9, adapted to receive a depending lug C3 on the body portion of the coupling-hook, for a purpose hereinafter described.

In the mouth of the coupler B there is a cam-surface B10, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, terminating in a square shoulder B11 at the inner upper face of the ear B7. The under 'face of the hook portion C4 of the couplinghook is formed with an inclined surface C5. The body portion of the coupling-hook at its upper rear face is formed with a shoulder C6, as shown'in Figs. 2 and 4.

In practice the parts are assembled as shown in Figs. l and 2, they being shown in these figures in the position they willoccupy when the coupler is locked and coupled with the coupler on the adjoining car. It will be seen that in this position the lug C3 is resting in one of the depressions of the ear B7, with the shoulder CG impinging against the shoulder BGX of the coupler. In this position the parts are firmly locked against accidental displacement. In coupling the hook will be at right angles to the position in which it is shown in Fig. l. As the cars come in contact, the opposing hook will strike the lateral portion of the coupling-link and will raise it so that its lug` C3 will be liftcdout of the depression B, thehook riding' over the cam-surface B10 serving to accomplish its purpose. As

IOO

soon as the hook has passed the cam-surface B10 it drops, the lug C3 dropping into the depression BS, and the inner vertical face ot' the hook iinpinges against the shoulder B11.

The lug C3 and the depressions Bs and B9 serve to hold the coupling-hookin its two positions, ready for either coupling or locked in its coupled position.

I deem it important that the rear end of the coupler be cut away, as at B4, to receive the draw-head, whereby the parts move more freely and with less friction.

What I claim isl. In a car-coupler, a draw-head having its outer end formed on the are of a circle, combined with a coupler having concaved rear faces With integral upper and lower extensions embracing the upper and lower face of the draw-head and pivotally connected therewith, substantially as specified.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the drawhead and the coupler pivoted thereto and formed with ears, one of which has depressions upon its upper face and the other formed of a square shoulder, of a coupling-hook pivoted between said ears and formed with an upwardly-extending shoulder and with a downwardly-extending lug in different Vertical planes, substantially as shown and described.

3. rlhe combination,with adraW-head having rounded end, of a coupler ooncaved to fit said rounded end and formed with extensions B2, embracing the upper and lower faces of draw-head, and a vertical pin passed through said extensions and pivotally connecting lthe parts, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the coupler formed with cam-surface B10 and shoulder B11 and with ears, one of which is formed on its upper face with depressions BS and B9 and the other With square shoulder BGX, of the coupling-hook formed with extensions iittinfr said ears and formed with depending,r lug C3, inclined under face C5, and shoulder C6, substantially as and for the purposes specilied.

In testimony whereof' I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS WV. PARSONS.

Witnesses:

CHAS. HALL ADAMS, EDWARD B. SPIKE. 

